Jenn Oese
Breckenridge, CO
Boat Name: Summer's Edge
Model/Year: 1974
Hull No.
Hailing Port: Frisco, CO |
 03/14/2006 1:25 PM Pacific Time
Hello all - Last summer was my first owning/sailing this boat. I kept it at a mooring in a marina that just happens to have a lovely and rather large number of osprey. While they are beautiful birds to watch, they also discovered that the top of my '74 C22 mast was a very appealing FLAT spot to land and eat their fish, leaving an unbelievably large amount of fish guts/blood/oil all over my boat/sail/etc. To say the least, it's really gross. I need to figure out something for this summer to install on the mast or the top of the mast to keep them from finding my boat the most appealing one in the marina for their landing spot. (Bought a plastic owl last summer - which worked for about two days...) I don't believe that their are any holes in the mast already drilled to attach anything to - and I'm hesitant to drill any holes in the mast. Anyone else have this problem? Any ideas? Unfortunately, I don't have access to my boat/mast for photos or to look at it for at least another month. |
Paul David
Melbourne Australia
Boat Name: Reflections
Model/Year: 1986
Hull No. 13369
Hailing Port: Melbourne Australia |
03/15/2006 7:36 PM Pacific Time
Jenn -
A friend of mine has a rubber snake in the cockpit, and runs some kind of plastic string around the rigging while moored. The snake apparently scares off the birds, and the plastic makes a noise in the wind that the birds don't like. Others use a plastic owl.
Paul |
Fred Apstein
Gabriola Is BC
Boat Name: Scruples
Model/Year: 1976
Hull No. 95
Hailing Port: Gabriola Is BC |
03/16/2006 8:09 AM Pacific Time
On wood masts we used to set a long galvanized nail in a glob of 3M 5200 or Sikaflex point up on top of the mast. Should work on aluminium too.
The crows in Nanaimo, near Gabriola Island, have learned that if they sit on the photocells that turn the street lights on, the lights com on and keep their little crow butts warm. You can see a whole row of crows on bright street lights on cold days. Now the seagulls have caught on and they fight the crows for good spots. |
steve smith
rothesay nb canada
Boat Name: all hours
Model/Year: 1975?
Hull No. 4928
Hailing Port: rothesay yacht club |
03/17/2006 3:51 AM Pacific Time
cormorants sitting on spreaders is a big issue here,they poo consantly all night and the fish stink is next to impossible to get out of f-glass and sail covers etc..we fastened copper wire from shroud to mast 4 inches up so they can't balance if they land ..it worked.they started doing this late in the season,maybe they pair-up in late summer? non-the-less even the boats not affected are doing some precautionary measures this spring...the stench is just gross. |
Fred Apstein
Gabriola Is BC
Boat Name: Scruples
Model/Year: 1976
Hull No. 95
Hailing Port: Gabriola Is BC |
03/18/2006 9:14 AM Pacific Time
On your aluminium spreaders and mast, I would suggest aluminium wire or maybe heavy fishing line. The copper will make electrolysis and corrode your spars over time. |
steve smith
rothesay nb canada
Boat Name: all hours
Model/Year: 1975?
Hull No. 4928
Hailing Port: rothesay yacht club |
03/18/2006 7:19 PM Pacific Time
yes alum. better choise....but use what mumma gave ya and fix it later.. |
Jenn Oese
Breckenridge, CO
Boat Name: Summer's Edge
Model/Year: 1974
Hull No.
Hailing Port: Frisco, CO |
03/28/2006 9:08 AM Pacific Time
Just wanted to thank everyone for their thoughts on this - I think I'm leaning toward the nail glued upside down to the top of the mast. To be safe, I think I'll glue a few up there though!
I'm curious if anyone has photos of the wire run from the shrouds that is described - I just can't quite picture it?
Thanks!!! |
Jon Glendye
Somerset, MA 02725
Boat Name: DylIan
Model/Year: C-22 1969-1970 ?
Hull No. 302
Hailing Port: Fairhaven, MA |
04/28/2010 12:13 PM Pacific Time
I sail hull # 302 on Buzzard's Bay in MA, and leave my boat on a mooring during the season. I too have had trouble w/ the "blessing of the birds", better know as cormorant/seagull crap. After several failed attempts, ranging from alluminum pie plates to tying caution tape to the shrouds, I finally discovered an effective, cheap solution. I found 25ft. lengths of nylon flag bunting at a local discount hardware store for $5 each. I simply tied a bowline to one end of the line to form a loop and attached a shackle to the other end. I snap the shackle into the stem fitting and attach the jib-halyard schackle to the loop-end and haul away. I repeat the process using a fitting on the stern and the main halyard. The small flags constantly fluttering in the breeze discourages birds form landing, and keeps my boat "blessing" free. |
